Volunteer Opportunities

Give Your Time… and Your Heart

We are always in need of dedicated and passionate individuals to volunteer their time and talents with HSHC – our volunteers are integral to the success of our mission! The opportunities are endless when it comes to volunteering your time at HSHC. Whatever your talents and interests, we have a role for you. So, what are you waiting for? Read the Essential Capabilities required by volunteers, then click the button below and join our volunteer family. Once you have submitted your application, you will be contacted by our Volunteer Programs Manager with instructions for onboarding.

Needing court-ordered community service volunteer hours? Click here!

Volunteer Requirements

Minimum Age

Applicants must be 16 years or older to participate in our volunteer program. At this time, we do not have an Adult/Youth Program for those under the age of 16. For opportunities available to those under 16 years of age, click here.

Time Commitment

In order to ensure the safety and well-being of our volunteers and the animals we serve, we require the following monthly time commitments from volunteers:

At least four (4) hours for the Cat Program or non-animal related roles

At least six (6) hours for the Dog Walking Program

Preparing to Volunteer

Applicants accepted into the Volunteer Program are required to:

Purchase a New Volunteer Package ($30)

Complete a digital orientation

Attend an in-person orientation

Onboarding

In-person orientations are held on odd-numbered months:
January
March
May
July
September
November

How to Become a Volunteer

To become a volunteer, begin by completing our online volunteer application form and purchasing a new volunteer package. You can complete the application online, print it out and mail it, or bring it to the shelter in person.

Complete the Volunteer Orientation

Volunteering by the Numbers

78,500 – Hours volunteered in 2024
952 – Volunteers serving HSHC
67 – Different volunteer opportunities at any given time

Shelter volunteers fulfill so many critical needs for us such as:

Facility Support (e.g. laundry, dishes, general housekeeping)
Cattery Assistance
Kennel Assistance
Dog Walking
Lobby Greeter
Animal Transport
Supporting the marketing team at special events
Fundraising/Marketing Support (e.g. event planning, procurement of auction items)
Building Maintenance & Lawn Care Projects

Lead Volunteer Program

We have a limited number of Lead Volunteer Positions within our organization. These special volunteers are considered a part of our staff in that they are included in strategic planning meetings and offer input on HSHC programs, policies and procedures. Lead Volunteers are often placed into positions that require supervision of other volunteers, so they receive special training as needed.

Because we ask a lot of our Lead Volunteers, HSHC offers our leads some pretty cool perks:

Leads are featured on our website as part of Our Team alongside our HSHC Management Team and receive a special Lead Volunteer name tag.
Leads receive two complimentary tickets to our major annual fundraisers–Tinsel & Tails and Wine, Wags & Whiskers.
Leads and their plus ones are invited to join us for our annual employee holiday party.

And last, but certainly not least…our leads receive many of the same great pet perks as our employees including:

Annual vaccines and labs (e.g., bloodwork, fecal, urinalysis) at HSHC’s cost which is a fraction of the cost at most veterinary practices
Order non-prescription medications at HSHC’s cost (preventatives, supplements)
Order prescription foods (with a prescription from a veterinarian) at HSHC’s cost

Corporate Group Volunteer Opportunities

Many organizations encourage their employees to give back to the community. Some even offer a paid day off to do it! If you’d like to organize a group volunteer day at the shelter, please read our Group Volunteer Policies. You can also download the form linked in the button below and email it back to our Volunteer Programs Manager at volunteerprograms@hamiltonhumane.com.

Student Volunteer Program

HSHC offers a Student Volunteer Program for those 16 years of age or older in need of completing service hours for their class requirements or club service projects. Students who wish to enter this program will be able to assist HSHC with a variety of volunteer opportunities. Opportunities include but are not limited to:

Support Help at our facility doing tasks such as laundry, dishes, cleaning, working in our food storage room, and helping us maintain our grounds.
Assisting the staff in various office tasks.
Assisting at off-site events.

Read our Student Volunteer Program guidelines.

Court Ordered Community Service

The Court Ordered Community Service Program is available for individuals who are required to complete court ordered community service hours. Please review our Court Ordered Community Service Program guidelines.

Volunteer Spotlight

Trudy Baldwin has been a Lead Volunteer with HSHC for over a decade. Trudy was instrumental in the development of our Dog Walking Program and manages it to this day.

Trudy has logged more hours than any other volunteer in the history of HSHC. She began her volunteerism as a dog walker, but at the time, we didn’t have a formalized program. Trudy took the lead in developing the Dog Walking Program including the processes and procedures we still use to this day. The impact Trudy has had, and continues to have, on our organization is beyond measure.

Volunteer